Leader of the House of Lords

Select Committee Reports: Government Responses

lord lexden: To ask the Leader of the House whether she has plans to ensure that Government departments (1) abide by their undertaking to provide responses to the reports of select committees within two months of publication, and (2) reply fully to the recommendations set out in those reports.

baroness evans of bowes park: I have recently written to Lords ministers to reiterate the importance of providing timely responses to select committee reports and I am assured that ministers are working hard to ensure the Government respond to reports within two months of their publication. However, sometimes circumstances dictate that it will not be possible to provide a response within this timeframe. Sometimes a later timeframe is agreed with the committee in question when it may be possible to give a fuller response at a later point. In such instances the relevant government department will maintain contact with the relevant select committee chairman and secretariat.The Government values the work of the select committees of this House, and understands the importance of proper engagement with them. The House has the opportunity to consider Government responses alongside the report at the point at which it is debated and I recognise the importance of having sufficient time to consider it beforehand. This is an important way that the House holds Government to account for the quality and timeliness of the response.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Homosexuality

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will fulfil their commitment to make posthumous pardons available to former army personnel convicted of crimes involving homosexual conduct under laws that have since been repealed.

earl howe: I refer my noble Friend to the answer I gave on 19 January 2017 to Question number HL4522. Primary legislation will be needed to add to the list of Service disciplinary offences set out in the Policing and Crime Act 2017, and we continue to explore how that can be effected.



WQnA extract on AF Disciplinary Proceedings
(Word Document, 13.34 KB)

Armed Forces: Malaria

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of their response to the report by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, The use of Lariam for military personnel(4th Report, Session 2015–16), whether they have now ensured that “all anti-malaria drugs are only supplied after a face-to-face travel health risk assessment performed by an appropriately trained and regulated healthcare professional”; and if not, when they expect to achieve 100 per cent compliance with that target.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of their response to the report by the House of Commons Defence Select Committee, The use of Lariam for military personnel(4th Report, Session 2015–16), whether, if Lariam is to be supplied to a member of the Armed Forces, the prescribing doctor always actively checks a box to confirm that alternative drugs have been offered to that individual; and if not, when they expect to achieve 100 per cent compliance with that target.

earl howe: The Government's updated policy on Preventing Malaria in UK Armed Forces Personnel (Joint Service Publication 950, Part 1, Leaflet 3-3-1) makes it explicit that, if dispensed from a military source, all antimalarial drugs can only be prescribed after a face-to-face assessment with an appropriately trained and regulated healthcare professional has taken place. The Official Statistic of 16 November 2017, Mefloquine Prescribing in the Armed Forces, shows that between 1 April and 30 September 2017, there were 40 prescriptions for mefloquine out of a total of 6,221 antimalarial prescriptions. Of those 40 prescriptions, 32 had an electronic coded entry on Defence Medical Information Capability Programme for a face-to-face assessment. However, this does not necessarily mean that 8 individuals did not have a face-to-face assessment. If the healthcare professional recorded it as free text rather than using a coded checkbox then it will not appear in the dataset. Of the 40 prescriptions, 28 had an electronic coded entry recording that an alternative antimalarial to mefloquine had been offered. Again, this does not necessarily mean that 12 individuals did not have an alternative offered, for the reasons previously stated. Given healthcare professionals are permitted to record any part of a consultation in free text, it might be that a face-to-face assessment, or record of alternative antimalarials being offered, will not be recorded through an electronic coded entry in 100 per cent of cases.

Armed Forces: Medical Records

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the medical histories of all military personnel are accurate and complete and that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is accurately diagnosed.

earl howe: Under national medical and professional body regulations and guidelines, there is a duty on health professionals to maintain accurate and comprehensive records. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a number of governance and other processes to ensure the accuracy and quality of the medical records of serving Armed Forces personnel. On discharge from Service, an individual's medical record is routinely checked before their care is passed to the NHS or equivalent primary healthcare services.Every effort is made to correctly identify Armed Forces personnel with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When PTSD symptoms are recognised by a Defence Primary Care clinician it triggers a referral to an MOD Department of Community Mental Health. An assessment is then conducted by a nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist. The diagnosis of PTSD can only be confirmed by a consultant psychiatrist or psychologist and a nurse will request their review of the case to confirm the diagnosis.

Armed Forces: Mefloquine

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of neurotoxicity resulting from the administration of mefloquine to military personnel; and what steps they have taken to ensure that veterans suffering from mental health problems are not given drugs that may exacerbate their illness due to a reaction with mefloquine.

earl howe: There is no established evidence of prophylactic drugs having long-term side effects causing mental health issues.The Royal College of Psychiatrists' 'Good Psychiatric Practice' report states clinicians must "be competent in obtaining a full and relevant history that incorporates developmental, psychological, social, cultural and physical factors". This includes the consideration and assessment of the effect of medication and the circumstances in which it is being prescribed.

Home Office

Edward Heath

lord marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire regarding (1) the investigation by Wiltshire Police into the allegations brought against Sir Edward Heath, and (2) the extent to which the Commissioner carried out his statutory responsibilities.

baroness williams of trafford: How an individual force conducts an investigation is a matter for the relevant Chief Officer. It is for locally elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to hold their Chief Officers to account for the operational delivery of policing. If they deem it appropriate in exercising this duty, PCCs are able to commission a review into an investigation. It would not be right for the Government to seek to intervene in, or influence, the exercise of these functions.

Immigrants: Data Protection

lord rosser: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have madeof the impact of the provisions of the Data Protection Bill on migrants who wish to exercise their right to know (1) what information is held about them, (2) who is processing that information, and (3) why that information is being held or processed.

baroness williams of trafford: The provisions in the Data Protection Bill will ensure that while people’s rights relating to data are protected, day by day operations relating to immigration controls are not obstructed and individual rights are balanced against the wider interests of society.

Public Sector: Immigrants

baroness smith of basildon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe answer byBaroness Williams of Traffordon 10 October (HL Deb, col105), what assessment they havemade of the impact onthe infrastructure and public services of the UK of migrants from outside the UK staying for(1) 12 months or more, and (2) less than 12 months.

baroness williams of trafford: Assessments of public service impacts of migration have been considered in previous Home Office publications – ‘Social and Public Service Impacts of International Migration at the Local Level’ published in 2013; and Annex 6 of the Impact Assessment accompanying The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Order 2016 provide examples of how these have previously been considered.These publications can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/social-and-public-service-impacts-of-international-migration-at-the-local-levelhttp://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/177/impacts



Social and Public Service Impacts
(PDF Document, 2.22 MB)




Impact Assessment
(PDF Document, 372.22 KB)

Madeleine McCann

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 1 November (HL2164), what criteria they will use to assess the success of the Special Grant funding for Operation Grange between now and the end of March 2018.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office funds the cost of Operation Grange from the Special Grant budget. Each application for Special Grant funding is measured against the published guidance available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-guidance/special-grant-guidance. The purpose of an investigation has no bearing on the decision of whether to provide Special Grant funding or not. The level of funding provided to the Metropolitan Police in relation to this investigation is reviewed regularly and will continue to be monitored. The Metropolitan Police keep the Home Office informed of the progress of the investigation through regular updates. These include an assessment of the need for continued funding which is linked to whether there remain continued lines of investigation to pursue.

Terrorism

lord pearson of rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Traffordon 7 November (HL2645 and HL2646), whether they will now answer those questions.

baroness williams of trafford: In relation to the first question, we do not use ethnic descriptions to describe terrorists. To answer the second question: we will not replace “radical” with “radical Islam”, as Prevent does not target a specific faith or ethnic group - it deals with all forms of terrorism.

Fire Services: Crimes of Violence

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the number of assaults on firefighters; and whetherthey intend toreview the legal framework to offer additional protection to emergency workers.

baroness williams of trafford: All attacks on emergency service workers are deplorable and are taken very seriously.Fire and rescue authorities are tackling attacks on firefighters in various ways including engaging with the local community, and having CCTV cameras on their vehicles to help identify culprits. We will be shortly publishing data on the number of firefighter attacks in England and will continue to work closely with the National Fire Chiefs Council and fire authorities to monitor any emerging trends.The Government is supporting the Private Members Bill tabled by Chris Bryant MP on assaults on emergency workers. The Bill will provide police and courts with further powers to deal with those who use violence against emergency workers including firefighters.

Terrorism

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Williams of Trafford on 7 November (HL2645 and HL2646), which terrorist threats have been addressed since 2011; what was the origin and nature of those threats; and whether there is one source that predominates.

baroness williams of trafford: Since 2011, our counter-terrorism strategy CONTEST has addressed “all forms of terrorist threat to this country and our interests, whether it originates here or overseas”, regardless of the ideology that inspires it. Our Counter Terrorism Strategy does not target a specific faith or ethnic group - it deals with all forms of terrorism. Currently the greatest threat comes from terrorist recruiters inspired by Daesh.

Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of those detained at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre are victims of rape, broken down into (1) women, and (2) men; and what is the average period those individuals have been detained.

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to minimise the number of rape victims detained at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

baroness williams of trafford: No data is held centrally on whether individuals detained in immigration removal centres have been the victims of rape or other forms of sexual violence.As part of its response to Stephen Shaw’s review of the welfare of vulnerable persons in immigration detention, the Government introduced the adults at risk in immigration detention policy, which came into force on 12 September 2016. By virtue of the policy, vulnerable individuals are detained only when the immigration control considerations that apply in their case outweigh the risk factors. Having been a victim of sexual or gender based violence is expressly included as an indicator of risk for the purposes of the policy. The policy is supported by the cross-cutting gatekeeper function, which assesses every decision to detain an individual in terms of their vulnerability and removability.Home Office immigration policy operates with a presumption against detention. If people are detained, it is for the minimum time possible, and their dignity and welfare are of the utmost importance.

HM Treasury

Health Insurance: Regulation

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what regulations are in placerelating toprivate medical insurance.

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last reviewed the regulations relating to private medical insurance.

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is an overseeing body that ensures that those purchasing private medical insurance are receiving a fair service.

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government whetherthey have any plans to ensure that those providing medical insurance are also required to set out clearly which medical professionals and providers will be covered by their policies.

lord bates: The Government is determined that all insurers, including private medical insurers, should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules. The FCA is an independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry, including firms operating in the health insurance market. The FCA’s Insurance Conduct of Business Sourcebook (ICOBS) sets the conduct standards required of insurance firms in relation to their business. These standards include requirements that firms take reasonable steps to ensure a customer is given appropriate information about a policy in a comprehensible form. The FCA keep their rules under regular review: since the ICOBS came into force in 2008, it has been modified several times to add new rules and amend existing ones. The Government is confident in the FCA’s ability to monitor the private medical insurance market and their powers to intervene if necessary.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit: Wales

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publisha Brexit impact study on the Welsh economy; and if so, when.

lord callanan: As part of our work preparing to make a success of our departure from the European Union, we are carrying out a broad range of analysis, as you would expect a responsible Government to do. This analysis covers a variety of sectors from across the UK economy, including Wales. However, as Parliamentary Under Secretary Robin Walker said in his opening remarks to the House on 1st November, the Government has not produced a series of sectoral impact assessments. The sectoral analysis which has been conducted is a wide mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis contained in a range of documents developed at different times since the referendum. The Government is engaging extensively with the Welsh Government, along with Welsh organisations and institutions and in order to secure a deal that works in the interests of not just Wales, but the whole of the United Kingdom.

Department for International Trade

Trade Promotion: Public Appointments

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what isthe timetable for appointing the new network of Trade Commissioners, as described on page 29 of the Department for International Trade’s October document, Preparing for our future trade policy.

baroness fairhead: The nine new Her Britannic Majesty’s Trade Commissioners will form a cadre of senior leaders for the Department for International Trade, who will lead and drive our future commercial and trading relationships with our overseas partners. We anticipate that all appointments will be made in 2018.

World Trade Organisation: Conferences

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are theirobjectives for the WTO’s 11th Ministerial Conference, taking place in December; and who will be the UK participants.

baroness fairhead: The World Trade Organisation (WTO) is the home of the rules-based international system for global trade. As a founding member of the WTO, the United Kingdom is committed to the multilateral trading system. The UK wants to see a successful outcome at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference, and looks forward to discussing a range of important trade issues, including fisheries subsidies, digital trade, agricultural domestic support and public stockholding, domestic regulation in services and investment facilitation.The United Kingdom’s official delegation will be headed by my Rt Hon Friends the Secretary of State for International Trade and the Minister of State for Trade Policy. They will be supported by officials from the Department for International Trade, the Department for International Development, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Tradeshow Access Programme

lord mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many companies have received (1) 1, (2) 2, (3), 3, (4) 4, (5) 5, (6) 6, (7) 7, (8) 8, (9) 9, (10) 10, (11) 11, and (12) 12, grants from the Tradeshow Access Programme since its launch.

baroness fairhead: In the period 1 April 2009 to present, the number of companies who have received Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) grants are:TAP Lives/GrantsNumber of Companies12104115110759112815373216111857274921314352267117480Total number of companies 15,168 Lives: Eligible businesses are entitled to exhibit overseas with TAP grant support. Each time they exhibit they use one TAP grant life, therefore TAP lives equates to the numbers of grants a business has claimed. Source: DIT CDMSFootnote: From 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2012 Participants could apply for only six grants. From 1 April 2012 to 30 September 2017 Participants can apply could apply for six grants in the majority of markets and for an additional six grants in High Growth markets. The number of grants Participants can apply for was reduced from twelve to six on 1 October 2017, but Participants can go to any market.